Monday, August 21, 2023
The establishment of a standalone Ministry of Tourism by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has received praise from stakeholders in the country’s tourism sector, who also pledged that the move will reposition tourism and its total contribution to the GDP of the country.
The stakeholders, who are primarily from the tourism private sector, welcomed the government’s decision as a step in the right way because tourism is the nation’s lowest-hanging fruit given the declining oil revenue and the pressing need for economic diversification.
Reacting to the development, NkereuwemOnung, president, Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), said, “We have to first congratulate and appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for listening to public opinion and ensuring industry representation”.
Ikechi Uko, the CEO of Akwaaba African Travel Market and a recognized authority in the field, also commented on the development and the rationale for the government’s decision to establish a standalone ministry for the travel and tourism sector. “Maybe the government has seen the importance of tourism and the role it can play to ease the foreign exchange scenario.
“I am happy the Nigerian government is taking such a serious step”.
While describing the move as a milestone and a spirit lifting situation, he noted, “To earn dollars, we need to export and the easiest thing to export is our tourism”.
According to Emmanuel Ele, CEO of Six Regions Hotels, the development is a good start in the right way, but given the issues like security and the weak economy, it is insufficient to establish a ministry without the political will to do so.
Olufemi Talabi, chairman and CEO of the booming domestic hotel chain CitiHeight Hotel Group, asserts that the establishment of a ministry for tourism is long overdue, especially in light of the industry’s enormous economic impact.
“The advantage, amongst others, is that the ministry will be more focused and will be able to devote attention to the tourism industry, unlike before when tourism is just part of a bigger ministry.
“It will also help in the rapid development of the industry. We can now for once have mouthpiece internationally. Nigeria should now be fully represented at the WTM, London, in November this year, after a long time.
“I even think that the minister should seize the initiative to register her arrival and relevance in the tourism space worldwide,” Talabi said.
An enthusiastic Modupe Oyebola, a tour operator, said that stakeholders now have a body to interact with on proper policy design and execution, adding that tourism can finally breathe.
Regarding the minister’s non-tourism experience, the Citi Height chairman stated that, under the circumstances, she should assemble a team of experienced professionals to assist her, even if, on balance, someone with expertise in the tourism business would have been preferable.Additionally, at that level, she should be more applicable to the sector in terms of her management skills.
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